Google to Open Retail Shops: Report

Times of India

February 17, 2013

NEW DELHI: Google has made an indelible mark on the world wide web with its offerings and services, and now it may be making its foray into the real world with retail chains. Citing an extremely reliable source, technology blog 9to5google has said that the internet search giant will enter the retail business by opening its first-ever outlets in the US.

The report claims that Google "is in the process of building stand-alone retail stores in the U.S. and hopes to have the first flagship Google Stores open for the holidays in major metropolitan areas." The holiday season in the US starts from November and lasts till mid-January.

Wondering what Google will sell at its stores? The report says that the company's primary objective in opening its own outlets is not to generate sales but to inform users about its hardware products and give them a hands-on user experience. The current crop of personal tech hardware that the online search giant offers includes Chromebooks as well as smartphones and tablets under its Nexus range.

The report says the tech titan decided to open its own store chain when it was finalising the plans for Google Glass. It said, "The leadership thought consumers would need to try Google Glass first hand to make a purchase. Without being able to use them first hand, few non-techies would be interested in buying Google's glasses (which will retail from between $500 to $1,000)." Along with Glass, Google can also give a demonstration of its upcoming X-Phone, X-Tablet, driverless cars etc at these stores.

A listing on Google Jobs says that the company is looking for an engineer who can develop, test and deploy point of sale systems, a crucial part of retail chains. Apple and Microsoft, two of the fiercest rivals of Google, already have their own stores.